


The Wedding Photo

by wisia



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Getting Together, M/M, Not Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie) Compliant, Photographs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-31
Updated: 2015-12-31
Packaged: 2018-05-09 00:49:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5519351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wisia/pseuds/wisia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve Rogers hadn’t thought about dating Tony Stark. It wasn’t even a consideration until he saw that photo: the wedding of Natasha Stark to her Steve Rogers. Now, it seems Steve has some rethinking to do.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Wedding Photo

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SouldierToTheEnd](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SouldierToTheEnd/gifts).



> The prompt was lovely, and I wished I had more time to expand it further. I think it definitely deserves more than my 3K of words for it, especially since I didn’t get to address other things happening here, but I hope my words were enough. Happy holidays to my Cap-IM Holiday Exchange person, SouldierToTheEnd. :)
> 
> Please note that this is non-AOU compliant, well, not really. This is also semi-based off, not only SouldierToTheEnd’s prompt, but also this artwork [ here > .](http://ireallyshouldbedrawing.tumblr.com/post/133649269565)

Stark Tower was quiet when Steve came in late that evening after a grueling mission. His shoulders ached, and the shield’s weight against his back felt heavier than usual compared to its normal resting comfort. In all honesty, he would rather head back to the Avengers facility to rest, but Stark had some new upgrades for the team. The man would have delivered it himself, but he cited company business and Pepper as a reason for his inability to bring them personally. It couldn’t be helped. As Natasha pointed out, Stark was a busy man with too many things to do. Retiring Iron Man might have been a good decision for Stark.

Steve couldn’t quite agree. Every time he met with Stark and there was a call to assemble, the man’s smile would become just a bit stiffer. There was something so positively hungry in his eyes, and Stark’s fingers practically twitched at his sides as if he would call his suit right then and there to join them on the field. Instead, Stark merely wished him good luck and that they’ll talk after.

“Hello Friday,” Steve murmured, voice low to suit the silence in the tower as the elevator took him up. “Is Stark in the lab tonight?”

“Evening Captain Rogers. I’m afraid he is out for a social event. However, he asked that I direct you to his lab, and you can retrieve what he left for you.”

“Oh,” Steve said, feeling like an intruder. “Is that--? I can return another day if he’s not here.”

“No problem, Captain,” FRIDAY replied warmly. “Go right on ahead. You’re not imposing.”

The elevator door in front of him slid open in kind to the lab.

“Thank you.”

In Stark’s lab, Steve shivered at the cold and at the strangeness of it all. For once, Stark’s deafening music was off, and the lab lacked the bustle and hustle of its usual motion. The machines were quiet, with hardly any hum. There were a few work area that compiled something or did something in the background, but it enhanced the quietness instead of obscuring it. FRIDAY helpfully turned on the lights, but they still didn’t distract from how odd the lab was without its creator and sole occupant there.

“They are located to your right on the middle table,” FRIDAY said helpfully. Even without her direction, the two silver cases were easy to spot, sealed up tight in biometric security. A sticky note with Steve’s name was posted on top of them. Steve pressed his thumbprint to the key slot on the first case. It beeped, and he peeked inside to find the new arrows Clint had been asking for and Natasha's updated stingers.

“If anything is amiss, please let sir know right away.”

“I will,” Steve promised as he looked inside the second one. Everything was there. Stark didn’t miss a thing. “Thank you, and tell Stark I said—“

He paused, momentarily distracted, eyes caught by a glint of something. Steve turned his head, and the glint was from a light glare on a photo facing the wrong way against the light. While he wouldn't have dare to encroach on Stark’s space ordinarily, something about those two figures in the photo seemed familiar. He couldn’t keep himself from taking the few steps closer. Stark didn’t have too many pictures, and this one was out of place. Though it wasn’t quite clandestine as the photo was visible for all to see, Steve guessed Stark meant to hide it as the photo was slotted in at that glaring angle, stuffed half behind another. Steve had to blink as he examined the photo closer.

The photo was of a man in the Captain America suit he no longer worn and of a woman in a version of the Iron Man suit, sleek and undeniably feminine. The woman even had a lovely veil attached to the helmet.

“Friday,” Steve said, when he registered that what he saw was real. “What is this?”

It wasn’t a joke, was it? Stark yanked his chains around sometimes, but he was never cruel. Well, mostly, Steve amended. Their words got sharp and heated when they disagreed on an issue. Still, Stark wouldn’t keep something like this waiting just to spring it on him for a laugh. Stark's humor tend to derive from current popular culture, what Clint called dorky, nerdy science jokes, and a little self deprecation.

“The wedding of Natasha Stark and her Captain America from Universe 3490.”

Steve frowned. “Universe?”

“Yes,” FRIDAY said. “Have you been introduced to the multiverse yet?”

“I think,” Steve said. It sounded vaguely familiar. “Dr. Banner? No, he would have said…Dr. Reed?”

It didn’t matter who said it, but it was multiple worlds. Some of them almost similar to theirs, and some of them wildly different, and in this one apparently Captain America and Iron Man, a female Iron Man at that, were married.

“But they are not us, are they?” he asked just to be sure.

“No, Captain.”

Steve looked at the photo again. It was still strange, and it was a bit…wrong to see them kissing. He knew they weren’t them, so he looked again and concentrated on the mood of the picture. “They look happy.”

“They are,” FRIDAY said. “Sir saw the wedding when it happened, and Natasha sent the photo after.”

“I see,” Steve said, only mildly curious on the logistics of how that would work or how Tony would have attended the wedding. He was more curious about the happily married aspect. He gave the photo one last look before thanking FRIDAY. He supposed, at least somewhere out there, one of him was happy then. “Have a good evening. Tell Stark I’ll like to see him in person next week if he can make it.”

“Will do.”

\--------

The photo should have just been a passing moment in Steve’s life, just a random thing he happened to see on Stark’s desk. Yet, Steve couldn’t stop thinking about it or why Stark kept a photo like that. Was he extremely close to the other Stark? Did he hope for something else despite being with Pepper? It was a little hard to imagine what that world’s Steve Rogers and Tony Stark must have saw in each other. In this world, they were—it was an amicable friendship. They knew each other well enough to have a courteous relationship though it was rocky to start. The Ultron matter didn’t help any, but Steve felt in his gut that they had a good fit. It was easy to work with Stark on the field though it didn’t always translated well off field. They almost didn’t even need to practice, automatically reading each other’s mind and covering each other’s position. It was a fluidity that only Bucky could match, and that was through years of friendship.

In any case, Steve thought about the photo for days. They were happy and had their home. He…wasn’t there yet. Not exactly. Even though, he told his Stark that he was home. The photo incident reached the point where he actively tried to capture Natasha Stark against paper. Her face was obscured, only half seen, being kissed by that Steve and covered with that helmet. So, he had to imagine. Maybe she had long hair and full lips, the same scarred hands but more slender and how small those hands must feel against his giant clumsy ones. She’ll probably just be as stubborn as his Stark, with that same bite and cutting tongue, and…

“Is that Stark?” Natasha’s voice drifted over his shoulder, and Steve jumped, pencil making a large jagged mark across the page.

“Natasha!”

“Sorry,” she said without sounding one bit so. “What’s up with stuffing Stark in a dress?”

“Is it that obvious?” Steve glanced down. Natasha Stark didn’t have a goatee, and it wasn’t like he drew her in the suit.

“Please,” Natasha said and settled herself onto the couch next to him. She pushed her feet into his lap. “Look at the nose, at that smirk on that mouth. Anyone can see that’s Stark or someone related to him.”

“Well, it’s not him.” Steve closed his notebook, putting down his pencil. “It’s…a version of him.”

“I’m not judging, gramps. I promise I won’t tell Stark about your crush or weird fetish.”

Steve’s cheeks burned. He pinched her ankle warningly. “It’s not a fetish. And it’s not, it’s not him.”

It didn’t deter her at all. She dug her heel into his thigh in return.

“Yes, I know. A version of him,” Natasha teased. Steve’s blush deepened. He had to explain now otherwise it would get awkward.

“It’s a version of him from another universe. Uh, the multiverse.”

Natasha didn’t say a word, but Steve knew she didn’t quite believe him.

“I swear,” Steve said. He put his face into hands, groaning. “I just saw—it was in his lab! She’s married to her Steve Rogers, and I just couldn’t stop thinking about it.”

“Well,” Natasha said, after a moment. “I don’t think anyone could picture you two being involved.”

“You don’t think so?” There was a snap to the words that Steve didn’t realize he added. People thought Stark was a cad, but he wasn’t. He was very devoted to Pepper, and she was one reason why Stark gave up being Iron Man.

Natasha merely gave him a look, and Steve swallowed and restated his question. “I mean, why not? Is it that strange for someone like me to be with Stark? He’s amazing, and I’m just, well.”

“Is that a hint to set you up with Stark?” Natasha laughed. “Well, I don’t know. What would you like me to say? That I can’t see you putting up with any of Stark’s bullshit?”

That sounded more like what the gossip rags would say.

“He’s a good man.”

“I didn’t say he wasn’t. I wrote his assessment. He just got miles of issues. You can’t go after him without a plan.”

“I always have a plan,” Steve replied with his Captain America voice. “But it doesn’t mean I’m going to date him.”

Natasha snorted. “You never know.”

“Uh, don’t tell anyone about the photo.”

“I don’t think anyone will believe me.”

\--------

Natasha’s parting words somehow made it worse, as if it was perfectly fine if Steve wanted to see Stark. Not that he needed her permission to date Tony if he wanted. He didn’t, but Stark proved oddly compelling.

...And infuriating by being forty minutes late.

“Hey Capsicle,” Stark said, breezing into the room with a fluid grace that Steve could only dream of replicating. “Did you miss me?”

“When you’re not being late,” Steve answered. Stark chuckled although Steve wasn’t joking and being honest about it. Once Stark was there, he was full force in motion, commanding all attention. There was no debating his commitment to aiding the Avengers and working beyond his role of consulting without them even asking. Steve even forgot they were working until he looked up and realized several hours had gone past.

“Funny. I’ll be even later next time. Think an hour will do? Two?” Stark started up the projection screen. “Careful. Blow a fuse, and your ninety seven year old heart might give out.”

“Tony. Please don’t be late. My heart’s steadier than that and,” Steve paused to give his next words weigh. “I really did miss you. We’re lucky to have you.”

Stark didn’t seem to know what to say to that and cleared his throat instead.

“Right.” He pulled up the data he wanted to go over with Steve. “Take a look at this.”

Steve didn’t pursue it. Stark didn’t do well with compliments, and he stood behind Stark to listen. Or he tried to. Standing there didn’t help his concentration like it normally did. He was free to study Stark, and he did. Tony was always a vision and made the best expressions for any artist to capture. He noticed Stark didn’t have any product in his hair today. Was it as soft as it looked, and how did it compared to Natasha Stark’s?

“Not sure what you want to do with this bit here, but hey, we’ll find a use for it. Cap? Rogers? Are you even listening to me?”

“Yes.” Steve tore his eyes away from Stark’s, Tony’s, hair. “I was just, uh—“

“Falling asleep on me? I didn’t think I was that boring. You really know how to make a guy feel appreciated.” Stark loosened his tie, leaning back in his chair to look up at Steve. It only gave Steve a good view of that long stretch of neck and Adam’s apple from his angle. “Is that why you’re hovering behind me, so you can sleep and pretend to listen?”

“I was listening. You’re not boring. I just,um, stand this way because it keeps me awake.”

“Yeah, sure,” Stark snorted. A slow sinking feeling took over Steve’s stomach, and it wasn’t hunger.

“I think,” Tony said. “We should—“

“Your hair,” Steve blurted out. “I was looking at your hair. Did you grow it out?”

That was the stupidest thing to say, and Steve tried to smile as if he wasn’t an idiot.

“Uh…yes? I mean I haven’t had time for a haircut in a while, so.” Tony shrugged though obviously puzzled by Steve’s terrible attempt at directing the conversation away from an undesirable subject.

“It looks, um, nice.”

“Thanks?”

“It really does,” Steve said. “It, uh, it suits you.”

He reached out and ruffled a few strands of Tony’s hair. Stark inhaled sharply, and Steve winced internally at his faux-pas although he was pleased to note that Stark’s hair was as soft as he’d imagined. Maybe it was…if that Steve thought…

“Cap,” Stark said slowly. “Are…you?” He squinted up at Steve. “Are you drunk?”

“No.” A cold feeling splashed through Steve like a bucket of ice water. He yanked his hand back. What was he doing? “I’m, I can’t get drunk.”

“Right,” Stark muttered. “The serum.” He sat up straight and cracked his neck. “Hungry?”

“Not really?” Steve backtracked. “Wait. Yes. I am hungry. I, uh, I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“You’re lucky you’re cute. Alright, food for the brain power. Then, you can tell me if this all makes sense to you.” Stark closed out the screens. “What are you hungry for?”

Steve felt tempted to say ‘you apparently’, but he already put his foot in his mouth one too many times today already.

“You can pick. I eat anything.”

“Sushi!” Stark declared with a smile. Steve glared at him. Stark knew very well he didn’t eat that stuff. He couldn’t get used to that raw taste of fish.

“You said anything.”

“Tony.”

\--------

 “So?” Natasha said, interrupting Steve’s quiet reading time.

“I don’t hear a question,” Steve replied. He flipped the next page of his book, determined to ignore her. It was dangerous considering how lethal the woman was, but he didn’t really feel like talking. Not after she knew about the other Stark, and how he just came back from lunch with Tony.

“Steve.”

Natasha’s hair tickled him as she leaned over the couch and poked him in the stomach. Then, she stole his book.

“Hey! I was reading that.”

“I want answers.” Natasha hugged the book to her chest, daring him to take it back. Steve mourned the loss of his book and relative solitude.

“And I still don’t hear a question,” he said sourly.

“You went on a date with Stark.”

“I had lunch with Tony. I didn’t go on a date with him,” Steve corrected. “It was at that Italian bistro on Oak.”

“Right,” Natasha scoffed. She tapped the book against her lips. “I’ve been trying to set you up for ages, and you go with Stark?”

“It’s not a date. I think I would know if I was on one.”

“You’re unbelievable.” Natasha tossed the book back at him. “You might as well date him.”

“Who’s dating who?” Sam asked, coming in. He had a bowl of cereal in his hand. Steve eyed it, wondering if he actually wanted food or if it was just his body’s metabolism pinging him to eat.

“Steve’s dating Stark,” Natasha said instantly, and Steve decided against his stomach's growling.

“For a spy, you deal heavily in gossip.” Steve smoothed down the pages of the book in his hand. Natasha made him lose his place.

“Part of the trade,” Natasha said as Sam coughed and choked on his cereal. When he could speak, “What? Say that again.”

“I’m not dating him.” Steve rolled his eye. “Don’t listen to her. It was a lunch meeting.”

“It was at that Italian bistro on Oak,” Natasha continued. Then, she smiled mischievously.

“No, Nat—“ Steve sensed where she was going with that wicked smile.

“And,” Natasha drawled out. “He drew Stark in a dress.”

Sam nodded. “I don’t know about the date, but Stark in a dress? Now, that I have to see.”

Steve looked up at the ceiling as if it could save him from his impending misery. Or God, but he had no help from either.

“Sam, you’re not seeing anything. Also, it isn’t Stark in a dress.”

“Yes, it is,” Natasha said, and Steve saw her gesture to Sam that she’ll get him the drawing. He resolved to find a better hidey hole for his sketchbook. Maybe in his underwear drawer?

“It isn’t.” Steve scratched the back of his neck, feeling his face heat up. “It’s a, uh, female version of him in a dress.”

Thankfully, Sam only raised an eyebrow. “You drew Stark as a girl? Did you draw me as a girl?”

“No!” Steve spluttered. “I mean—it was just—“

“I’m hurt,” Sam said. “I’m going to drown myself in milk.”

“He saw a female version of Stark in the lab,” Natasha explained as Sam chugged down milk and set the bowl down on the coffee table. Sam didn’t bat an eye.

“What did he do?” It was a reasonable question given Stark always had strange experiments and things going on in his lab.

“He didn’t do anything,” Steve answered. “It was just a photo of Natasha Stark and her Steve Roger’s wedding.”

There was silence before Steve registered what he said and admitted to Sam.

“Um…can you forget I said that?” Steve asked weakly.

“No,” Natasha said even as Sam chuckled. “You asked me not to mention it, not to forget it. I didn’t even mention it either.”

“No way,” Sam agreed, “Captain America and Tony Stark? Together? But you know. I think I can see that.”

“See what?” Steve slouched down into the couch.

“You and Stark,” Sam clarified. “If it worked in one universe, why not this one?”

“Sam.”

“I say go with it,” Natasha suggested. “You can’t do worse than Stark. Lots of issues, but it’s worth it.”

“Isn’t he dating Pepper?” Steve asked. That was a concern. He wouldn’t want to break up any relationship, especially not if Tony and Miss Potts were happy together.

“Not anymore. Come on. Aren’t you the man with the plan, Cap?” Natasha teased.

“I…I just don’t think…,” Steve stopped. “They’re not together.”

“How do you not know this?” Natasha asked. “I swear—“

“It didn’t come up!” They talked about other things on their lunches and meet ups. The romance part of their lives wasn’t something Steve touched on if he could help it.

“It was all over the news,” Sam added. “But think about it.”

“I don’t need to think about it,” Steve said. “I’m…”

He couldn’t date someone like Tony Stark. He didn’t measure up, and what did he have to offer to a rich man like Tony?

“A version of you married him,” Natasha added. “I’m not saying you have to too, but you can consider it.”

“Well…I do get along well with him.” Steve thought about it. If that Steve Rogers made it with Natasha Stark, there was no reason why Steve couldn’t do the same. Stark was pretty swell. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him or Natasha Stark. “Actually, why the hell not? I can ask him for a date at least.”

\--------

Steve didn’t have a plan. He never really did. At least, not when he was plain old Steve Rogers from Brooklyn. So, when it came to asking Tony out for a date, it was literally a rush into it without any thinking. They were in Tony’s lab, and Steve noticed Natasha Stark’s wedding photo was gone. He felt a little disappointed at its absence and hoped it was safe and protected elsewhere.

“So, how does that fit?” Tony asked, checking the seams and how the armor molded against Steve’s shoulder.

“Good,” Steve said and tried not to fidget. This was always a little awkward because Tony had to stand just this close to make or note down changes to the suit. Tony pressed a palm against his shoulder blade.

“You’re pretty tense,” Tony commented. “My measurements are going to be off. Relax.”

He started to rub Steve’s shoulders, and Steve had to step away.

“I’m, I’m fine.” Steve managed to say and struggled to keep his blush down.

“You sure?”

“Yeah,” Steve said. His eyes darted around the lab. “I was just thinking.”

“About what?” Tony followed his gaze, trying to guess what Steve was searching for in his lab.

“Uh…the photo. It’s gone.” Steve couldn’t take back the words even if he wanted.

Tony’s eyes widened, and then he ran a hand through his hair, adopting normalcy. “What photo?”

“You know,” Steve said, gesturing to the spot where the wedding photo used to be.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Tony looked away from him. “Do I even have photos in here? I’m more of a digital type guy. Who keeps actual physical photos anyway nowadays?”

Steve caught him by the arm, pulled Tony just a little closer and willed him to be still for a second. “The…the wedding photo of the female you. I saw.”

“When?” Tony asked quietly, no longer trying to deny the photo existed.

“It was…about a month or so ago. You weren’t here.” Steve watched as Tony thought back to the last month. “You had an event. I came to get your upgrades for the team.”

“I see.” Tony pressed his lips tightly together. “I’m sorry. You weren’t supposed to see that. I just, uh, it was, really…”

“I’m glad I saw it,” Steve whispered.

“What?” Tony was entire flustered, and it was rather endearing.

“It—I’ll be honest. I never thought about it, but it made me wonder. About you and me.”

“And?”

“Would you go out with me?”

“I’ll, I’ll like that,” Tony replied.

“Good.”

Tony sent a picture of them on their one year anniversary to the other Stark and Steve Rogers. They were as happy as they were.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Original Prompt: 
> 
> MCU: Steve finds out about Natasha Stark and 3490!Steve being together somehow. Maybe he’s visiting the Baxter Building and Reed Richards mentions it offhandedly? Regardless it causes him to seriously reevaluate his and Tony’s relationship and he decides to pursue Tony romantically. No Civil War please!


End file.
